Bodo Leonhard Ziegler

Bodo Leonhard Ziegler is a full Professor and Director of the Department of Astrophysics at the University of Vienna. He leads research in galaxy formation and evolution, with particular focus on extragalactic astrophysics and cosmology. His work involves extensive observational programs using major telescopes including the Very Large Telescope and Hubble Space Telescope, with significant contributions to large surveys like CALIFA, CLASH, and the FORS Deep Field.

Professor Ziegler's research interests center on understanding how galaxies form and evolve across cosmic time. His work examines mass assembly, star formation processes, and galaxy interactions in different environments from the field to dense clusters. He investigates how environmental factors like merging, tidal harassment, and hydrodynamic interactions with cluster media affect galaxy evolution. His research employs quantitative spectroscopic observations to measure internal kinematics, stellar populations, and chemical properties of galaxies at various cosmic epochs.

Analysis of his recent publications reveals a strong focus on integral field spectroscopy surveys, particularly the CALIFA project, which has enabled detailed 3D mapping of nearby galaxies. His work spans multiple aspects of galaxy evolution including kinematics across the Hubble sequence, stellar population analysis, metallicity gradients, galaxy scaling relations, and environmental effects on galaxy properties. The research demonstrates increasing sophistication in combining multi-wavelength observations with advanced modeling techniques.

Professor Ziegler has secured significant research funding, including a 1 million EUR grant from the Austrian ministry for his project 'Observational Astrophysics in the E-ELT era II'. He serves on important committees including as head of the appointment committee for Theoretical Extragalactic Astrophysics at the University of Vienna and as a delegate to the Board of Directors of the Astronomy & Astrophysics Journal by the Austrian Academy of Sciences.

He leads an active research group focused on galaxy evolution, with particular expertise in observational techniques and data analysis. His group maintains strong international collaborations through major projects like CALIFA, CLASH, and DAFT/FADA, contributing to our understanding of galaxy formation across cosmic time.